Method of formation of radiator shells



March 1936- G. E. IRELAND METHOD OF FORMATION OF RADIATOR SHELLS Filed April 25, 1930 Patented Mar. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF FORMATION OF RADIATOR SHELLS a corporation of Ohio Application April 25, 1930, Serial No. 447,379

13 Claims. (Cl. 113116) My invention has for its object to provide a method of forming automobile radiator shells of sheet metal from an oblong strip having relatively small dimensions as to length and width, and that may be readily bent to conform to the shape of one-half of the shell. .The sheet metal has a width slightly less as double the width of the metal of the finished shell, plus the width of the work holding area for holding the sheet while it is being die-pressed to the required shape. The length of the sheet is slightly less than one-half the length of one side of the shell, plus the portion of the sheet that affords the required gripping area for holding the sheet by the die-holder plate during the stretching of the central portion of the metal. In order to equalize the stretch, or draw, of the metal during the formation of the shell, the two sides of the shell are formed from the oblong sheet by the dies and are, subsequently,

severed from each other along the medial line of the plate. The work holding areas, gripped by the die-holding plate and. the work plate, are trimmed fromthe sheet, the metal of the two parts of the shell having been substantially equally drawn throughout all its areas. The two parts are then butt-welded. If desired, the two parts may be butt-welded to a central decorative part.

The invention may be utilized in methods of operation that vary in their details and, to illustrate a practical application of the invention, I have selected a method that makesuse of the invention, and shall describe the stepsof procedure and a shell that is formed thereby, the structureformed in each of the steps is shown in the drawing.

Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the structure when first removed from the press. Fig. 2 is a view of a section taken onthe plane of the line 2-2 indicated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 illustrates the parts formed when the structure shown in Fig. 1 has been trimmed and the parts of the shell have been separated. Fig. 4 is a view of a section taken on the plane of the line 4-4 indicated in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 illustrates the parts of the shell when the forward edge, with reference to the, radiator, has

been shaped. Fig. 6 is a view of a section taken on the plane of the line 6-6 indicated in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 illustrates the parts of the shell assembled.

Fig. 8 is a top View of the completed shell.

In carrying out the method involving the use of my invention, a sheet of steel having a length substantially that indicated by the edge I of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, and a width substantially as indicated by the edge 2 of the said 55 structure, is readily arched, as indicated at the point 3 of the edge of the said structure, and bent, as at 4, when it is placed on the work plate of the die-press. This provides for work holding areas 5. and 6, located at the ends of the oblong sheet, and the work holding areas I and 8, located along the side edges of the sheet. These areas, particularly in the region of the maximum draw on the metal, is, preferably, further gripped by ridges and recesses, located on the work plate and the work holding plate, to prevent the movement of the metal in the vicinity of the edges of the sheet metal plate into the central areas that are drawn by the dies.

The cross section of the shell is L-shaped and, in order to produce a uniform drawing of the metal, particularly at the maximum depth of the arch that occurs at the bend of the arch, the rightand left-hand sides are formed from the single sheet of metal. Forming the two halves of the shell at the same time enables the formation of the structure, having like opposite side portions, and the production of the same amount of draw in the metal in opposite directions, and thus produces a uniform stretch of the metal. It produces a balanced resisting pressure on the dies.

When the structure has been formed, as indicated in Fig. 1, the holding areas 5, 6, l, and 8, may be trimmed therefrom and the rightand left-hand sides of the shell formed by cutting the structure along a medial line to produce the parts [5 and I6, illustrated in Fig. 3. The edges [1, of the parts l5 and I6, may then be shaped to form a ledge l8 where the shell makes contact with the face of the radiator core.

If desired, the end edges I9 may be butt-welded to complete the formation of the shell 23. Preferably, however, a member 20, having an opening 2| for the neck of the radiator, is buttwelded between the end edges 19, which completes the formation of the shell.

I claim:'

1. The method of forming a radiator shell which consists in bending a sheet metal strip into curvilinear formation to conform substantially to the bend of one-half of the shell securing edge portions of the strip by the work plate and the die-plate holder, and die-pressing the central portion of the plate to simultaneously form the rightand left-hand portions of the shell integrally interconnected on longitudinal 50 margins to draw the metal of the sheet to the same extent in corresponding parts of the opposite sides of the shell, trimming the die-plate holding areas from the plate and separating opposite sides by cutting the sheet plate along a lon- 

